This is absolutely, hands-down, without a doubt my favorite jacket. If anything ever happens to my ROM, I'm going to buy three more of them just to be on the safe side. If I could give it six stars, I would do just that.

What is it? Well, it's a windproof hoody with a bunch of technical features -- pockets for ventilation, breathable side panels so you don't roast in it, adjustable cuffs and hood. It's tremendously comfortable and fits just like a regular hoody, but it works perfectly in a surprisingly wide range of temperatures. In spring and fall, you can wear it over a tech tee and it cuts the wind and provides enough warmth for most activities.

In legitimately cold weather (freezing or just above), I hike with nothing but a Capilene 2 or Capilene 3 base layer and my Marmot ROM jacket, which is both incredibly comfortable and incredibly breathable. The first time I tried that, I was honestly surprised at how warm the ROM kept me! It's seriously a swiss army knife, perfect for a very wide variety of non-precipitating conditions.

Most importantly, it breathes really well. You just never build up sweat inside this jacket, unless you're wearing a cotton t-shirt underneath (or it's just too warm for a jacket). It doesn't have pit zips because it flat-out doesn't need them; the side panels are really stretchy and breathable, and keep your body ventilated in places where you're already protected from the wind. "Body-mapping" and "air permeable" are trendy phrases right now, but Marmot has absolutely nailed it with the ROM.

This is the perfect solution for me when it comes to high-output activities in cold weather, and the hood just adds to the versatility. It's a much more comfortable hood than most hard shells, too.

Being a softshell, of course, you don't really want to wear it when it's raining or snowing because the fabric will wet out (even though the windproof laminate itself is basically waterproof). It doesn't have a DWR coating to bead up water. But if the skies are clear, for winter hiking or the approach to a climb or ski run, this is THE jacket to have... especially if the wind is ripping and you're going to be using some energy!